Just as yet another team of search-and-rescue experts headed off into the dark night Tuesday to try and find a missing backcountry snowboarder, sheriff's officials took a phone call from a Nevada County home.

"(Abraham Finkelstein) was found alive," said Sgt. Sam Brown, of the Nevada County Sheriff's Department. "He managed to make his way quite some ways off of here, and was able to locate a house, and they were able to make contact."

Minutes after hearing the news from Brown, the search teams returned to their command post -- set up near Boreal Mountain Resort -- and celebrated the positive outcome.

Finkelstein, a 26-year-old from San Francisco, somehow made it to a home miles away from where the search efforts were concentrated. At one point, he used a makeshift shelter to help protect himself from the elements.

He then found a house with some people inside eating dinner, officials said.

"(Finkelstein) is OK," Brown said. "He had some issues from being out in the cold weather and things like that, so medical (experts are) assessing."

The man will soon be reunited with his family. His injuries are considered minor.

The experienced backcountry rider vanished Monday from terrain that included steep hillsides around the 8,000-foot elevation mark.

Finkelstein was last seen in the Castle Peak region of Donner Pass, along the north side of Interstate 80, across from Boreal. He entered the area with his dad Monday.

Finkelstein's father told searchers the two men got separated after the older Finkelstein got tired and wanted to turn back. The dad said his son stayed behind to make a run before returning to the car.

The Sierra Nevada has experienced extremely wet weather the past few days, including heavy snowfall in some spots, clouds and gusty winds. Read full weather report.

These were among some of the most difficult conditions searchers have dealt with all winter.

At one point, four search teams on skies and snowshoes were navigating through waist-deep snow, looking for the young man. All-terrain vehicles were used, as well.

Rescuers told KCRA 3 earlier Tuesday the conditions were considered survivable for someone with backcountry experience, so long as Finkelstein wasn't hurt. Searchers described the avalanche hazard in the area as moderate, and did not report seeing any evidence of previous slides.

Taking into consideration the terrain and weather, sheriff's deputies said Tuesday has been a day of surprises.

"I would say between this call and the call in Placer County, the odds of survivability are extremely low -- that’s a hard thing to face," Brown said. "So, the fact that both of these subject that were missing, have come back to to be alive, is pretty amazing."

Brown is referring to another rescue that took place earlier near Foresthill. A runner from Modesto, who went missing over the weekend in Placer County, was found alive, as well.

Robert Root survived two days in a treacherous and snowy mountainous region by sleeping on a cliff and kept warm in freezing conditions by curling up in bushes, authorities said. Read full report.

The 55-year-old was wearing only a light jacket, shorts and running shoes when rescuers discovered him walking on a bridge on the Western States trail Tuesday afternoon.